Improvement in brick-machines



CHARLES CLARK.

improvement in Brick Machines.

"Patented April 2, 1872.

& M

CHARLES CLARK, OF CONNELLSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRICK-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,272, dated April 2,1872.

SPECIFICATION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES CLARK, of Connellsville, in the county ofFayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Machines for Making Bricks; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention,showing the hopper, the pressing-plunger, and devices for operating themoldwvheel. Fig. 2 is a like View, showing the cams, pressing mechanism,870.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

My invention consists in the construction of a. vertically-revolvingwheel having brick molds at set intervals in its periphery, and ofcertain devices for filling the molds, for pressing the bricks therein,and for discharging them therefrom.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I illdescribe its con struction and mode of operation.

I make the wheel a of any suitable material, with a wide periphery orrim, to, in which, at certain regular distances apart, are thebrickmolds b, having movable bottoms c. The wheel is loosely mountedupon a shaft, d, so that it will turn independently, such shaft in turnbein g mounted in the housings or standards d d. Directly over thehighest point or elevation of the wheel a, and supported by the bearersd d, is a hopper, e, which supplies clay to the molds. This hopper is soarranged that when the mold is brought into position under it it willdischarge and fill the mold, but will become closed by the plain surfaceof the rim a between the molds, when the wheel begins to turn again, andcannot discharge. The clay in the hopper is forced down into the moldsby the operation of the screw-bit of the pug-mill or other equivalentdevice. At one end of the shaft (1 is a small crank, f, which isconnected by the arms f and f to a shaft, 9, which is supported by thebearer g. A little distance in front of the wheel a, projecting radiallyfrom the other end of the shaft g, is a slotted arm, h. When the mainshaft (1 is operated the small crank f, through the arms f and f impartsa reciprocating motion to the shaft 9, and thereby to the arm h. The armh is connected by the rod 71/ to the arm 1', which is sustained on theshaft 01 by the collar i and carries on its side, near the upper end, apawl, 6 which bears against the periphery of the ratchet-wheel k on thewheel a, to operate as hereinafter explained. Directly in front of thewheel a, and operating horizontally in a plane which cuts the shaft 01,is a plunger, 1, supported in the groove 1 in the "standard Z Thisplunger is operated by the cam m on the main shaft 61, which isconnected with and communicates a reciprocating motion to it by means ofthe camyoke m and rod m The object of the plunger l is to press the clayin the molds, as by the operation of the wheel a they are brought toposition opposite to and in the path of the plunger. On the shaft d is asecond eccentric or cam, a, which is connected with and imparts areciprocating motion to the vertical plunger 0 by means of the yoke WThis plunger is guided by the block 0, and operates to discharge orforce the bricks from the molds, as they come into position directly inits path, down onto the moving or endless table 10, by which they arecarried away. The plunger strikes the movable bottom of the mold andforces it outward to the surface of rim a, discharging the brick. Whenthe revolution of the wheel brings the mold around to the hopper, themovable bottom drops back by its own weight to the bottom of the mold,or it is thus returned by the reaction of springs W. In front of thewheel to, extending up from the b ed-plate A, is a spring-catch, g,which, catching on the pins q, locks the wheel and holds it stationarywhen the molds come into position opposite the hopper and levers. Thecatch q is disengaged, so as to allow the wheel a to revolve, by the armT, which is attached to and operated by' the oscillating arm 6.

The operation of my machine is as follows: Power is applied to the shaftd, at the end (1,

in any convenient way. The crank fand cams m n, being rigidly attachedto the shaft, are turned with it. The crank f, through and by means ofthe arms f f shaft 9, arm h, and rod h, imparts a reciprocating motionto the radial arm i. In the forward reach of the arm 1; the pawl 6 movesfrom one tooth of the ratchet- ATENT' OFFICE.

wheel k to and engages with the next one. In the backward stroke of thearmi it draws the wheel at around so as to bring the next mold intoposition,the length of stroke being gauged by means of the slotted arm hand set-screw h During the forward stroke of the arm 2' the wheel a isheld stationary by means of the spring-catch q, which catches on thepins q. When the arm 6 reaches the extreme forward end of its stroke thearm 1' forces the springcatch q off the pin q, and releases the wheel.The cam m operates the plunger 1 for pressing the bricks, and the cam nthe plunger 0 for discharging them. These cams are so arranged that theoperative strokes of the plun gers shall be given during the forwardstroke of the arm 1:, and while the wheel is held stationary. Thus itwill be seen that all three operationsthat of filling the molds withclay from the hopper, pressing the bricks in the molds, and dischargingthem therefrom-are performed while the wheel a is held stationary, andthat these three operations are going on simultaneously in as manydifferent molds.

Any desired number of molds may be made in the periphery of the wheel a;but they must be arranged at regular distances therein, and theoperation of the other parts of the machine regulated correspondingly.

Other mechanical devices for transmitting the power from the main shaftto operate the wheel and plungers may be substituted for those describedand shown.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The mold-Wheel a b, which is intermittingly rotated by means of theoscillating arm h, adjustable connecting-rod h, arm '1; with pawl i andratchet-wheel k, in combination with the eccentrics m m m and n n 0 andthe plungers 0 and l, which are operated simultaneously during thecessations of the mold-wheel, substantially as set forth.

2. The mold-wheel a mounted upon the driving-shaft d, in combinationwith the discharging-plunger 0, cam a, and yoke n arranged to operatesubstantially as described.

3. The spring-catch q and pins q, in combination with the mold-wheel a,ratchet-wheel k, arm t, pawl i and arm 0", operating substantially asand for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I, the said CHARLES CLARK, have hereunto set myhand.

CHARLES CLARK.-

Witnesses A. S. NIcHoLsoN, THOS. B. KERR.

